INDIANAPOLIS – In the wake of the excitement surrounding the upcoming 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, the USA Track & Field Foundation is thrilled to announce the 2016 Elite Athlete Development Grants. The list is highlighted by Stephen Schwarzman Grantees, many of whom are 2016 Rio Games medal contenders. In all, the Foundation awarded 58 Elite Athlete Development Grants in the first round totaling $297,000 announced Foundation Executive Director Tom Jackovic and Chairman Bob Greifeld.

The funding comes at an imperative time for the athletes as they strive to achieve their dream of competing in the Olympic Games. The Athlete Grant Program contributes to the pursuit of world-class performances by American post-collegiate track & field athletes. The Foundation provides assistance to athletes that meet its grant application criteria, including income thresholds and performance standards.

“This is a tremendous group of athletes, all of whom have achieved success in both their professional and personal lives. A few of them won medals at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, and several others were very close. Even with their records of achievement, funding for these and other elite level track & field athletes in the U.S. is difficult to sustain. The stakes are the highest in an Olympic year, and we hope that these grants will help all of them continue to train and perform at a high level,” stated USATF Foundation Director Mark Quinn.

At the top of their class are the Stephen Schwarzman Grantees that are recognized for their success on an international level and for having excellent potential to be in medal contention in the Rio Summer Games. There are 12 athletes receiving this prestigious award.

The 8 athletes receiving funding of $10,000 each are:

Johnny Dutch – 400H

Michael Hartfield – Long jump

Jeff Henderson – Long jump

Jasmin Stowers – 100H

Keni Harrison – 100H/400H

Tori Bowie – Sprints

Joe Kovacs – Shot put

Boris Berian – 800M

The 4 athletes receiving funding of $5,000 each are:

Morgan Uceny – 1500M

Alysia Montano – 800M

Wallace Spearmon – 200M

Kara Winger – Javelin

41 dedicated athletes will be awarded Elite Athlete Development Grants from the Foundation.

The 12 athletes to receive funding in the amount of $5,000 are:

Jared Schuurmans – Discus

Conor McCullough – Hammer

Barbara Nwaba – Heptathlon

Whitney Ashley – Discus

Jeremy Taiwo – Decathlon

Stephanie Garcia – Steeplechase

Dan Huling – Steeplechase

Garrett Heath – 5K

Chanelle Price – 800M

Chaunte Lowe – High jump

Jacorian Duffield – High jump

Quanera Hayes – 400M

The 29 athletes to receive funding in the amount of $3,000 are:

Brittany Borman – Javelin

Jill Camerena Williams – Shot put

Jeneva Stevens – Shot put

Sam Crouser – Javelin

Tia Brooks – Shot put

Jordan Clarke – Shot put

Kibwe Johnson – Hammer

Bernard Lee – 200M

Darrell Hill – Shot put

Kala Funderburk – 400M

Andrew Lee Irwin – Pole Vault

Ciarra Brewer – Triple Jump

Bryshon Nellum – 400M

Christina Epps – Triple Jump

Heather Miller Koch – Heptathlon

Maria Michita – Race walk

Erik Sowinski – 800M

Lashinda Demus – 400H

Kyle Merber – 1500M

Ben Blankenship – 1500M

Jeshua Anderson – 400H

Brittany Smith – Shot put

Ashley Higginson – Steeplechase

Joanna Atkins – 400M

Rodney Brown – Discus

Riley Dolezal – Javelin

Mary Saxer – Pole Vault

Jesse Williams – High Jump

Russ Winger – Discus

Also receiving an Elite Athlete Development Grant as a part of the USATF Foundation’s Adopt an Athlete Program in the amount of $10,000 are the following athletes:

Amanda Bingson – Hammer

Amber Campbell – Hammer

Bobby Curtis – Marathon

Britney Henry – Hammer

Turquoise Thompson – 400H

Additionally, all of these athletes will have the opportunity to appear at various schools and community venues across the country in the USA Track & Field Foundation’s Run With US! program. In each Run With US! event, Olympic athletes and Olympic hopefuls coach kids on track & field skills and making healthy choices. The program provides an opportunity for the athletes to give back to their community.

The USA Track & Field Foundation provides a means to attract and guide funds to new and innovative track & field programs with an emphasis on providing opportunities for youth athletes, emerging elite athletes and distance training centers. The Foundation depends upon donations from its Board of Directors, major gifts and from generous fans of track & field.

Elite athletes are supported by the Foundation via monetary grants and participation in Run With US! (www.runwithus.org). Youth athletes are supported via monetary grants to youth clubs.

Testimonials

I just wanted to thank you for awarding Bell Oaks Upper Elementary School a USATF Foundation Youth Grant. With your grant, we were able to purchase new, real uniforms and compete in 9 meets. The kids felt much more confident and excelled more this year. Thank you so much!